𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒 | 𝘛𝘰𝘱 𝘨𝘶𝘯

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 || 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬

"𝘐 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦"

 - 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘢𝘺

𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒, 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐀 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐙𝐄. All of the pilots are waiting for Maverick with bated breath. The aviators exchange surprised looks as Warlock approaches the podium.

"Good morning," Warlock said to the pilots. In comparison to the aviators' awful poker faces, his expression was serious.

"The uranium enrichment plat that is your target will become operational sooner then we had expected. Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in 10 days' time. As a result, your mission has been moved up. One week. In order to avoid contaminating the targets valley with radiation." Cassie felt her stomach drop. One week.

Coyote Spoke up. "Sir. No one here has successfully flown the low-level course." Warlock directed his attention towards the pilot. "Nevertheless, you've been ordered to move on." Admiral Bates interjected.

"Captain." Admiral Bates handed back over to Maverick.

Maverick steadily walked up to the lectern. "We have one week left to focus on phase two. The most difficult stage of the mission. It's a pop-up strike with a steep dive, requiring nothing less than two consecutive miracles. Two pairs of F-18's will fly in a well-to-wing formation. Teamwork. Precise coordination of the aircraft is essential to both the mission's success and your survival. As you know the plant rests between two mountains. On final approach you will invert directly into a steep dive. This allows you to maintain the lowest possible altitude and the only possible attack angle."

The pilots focused on every word, fearful of missing vital information.

"Your target is an impact point less than 3 metres wide. Two aircraft will paint the target with a laser bullseye. The first pair will breach the reactor with a laser-guided bomb into the ventilation hatch. This will create an opening for the second pair. That's miracle number one."

"The second team will deliver the kill shot. And destroy the target. That's miracle number two. If either team misses the target the mission is a failure. Egress is a steep high G climb out top avoid hitting this mountain."

Cassie could feel herself becoming anxious. She had done risky things before, but not this risky.

"A steep climb at that speed? You're pulling at least 8 G's." Hangman exclaimed. "Nine. Minimum." Maverick Corrected.

"The stress limit of the F-18's air frame is 7.5." Rooster added and Maverick turned to face him.

"That's the accepted limit. To survive this mission, you will pull beyond that. Even if it means bending your air frame. You'll be pulling so hard you'll weigh close to 2000 pounds. Your skull crushing your spine. Your lungs imploding like an elephant is sitting on your chest." Maverick explained.

"Fighting with everything you have just to keep from blacking out. And this is where you will be at your most vulnerable. Assuming you survive the climb out of there you will head straight up into enemy radar while loosing all your air speed. Within Seconds you will be fired upon by enemy S.A.M's. You've all faced sustained G's before but this. This is going to take you and your aircraft to the breaking point."

"Sir is this even achievable?" Phoenix questions. "The answer to that question will come down to the pilot in the box." He responded, his gaze flickering down to Rooster.

Cassie felt a pain in her skull. If she was sent away, she had to return home. She needed to get home to her family. She had a child.

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Cassie made herself comfortable on a seat, her leg bouncing as she listened to Phoenix, Bob and Coyote in the air. A voice pulled her from her clouded thoughts.

"Blue team. You've been spotted." Maverick acknowledged his whereabouts. Phoenix cursed as she made the call to continue despite the fact Maverick was getting closer.

"Come on! Popping now!" Coyote announced as he pulled up. He and Phoenix inverted. Side by side. Maverick was getting closer and closer to the trio. The pressure and panic was setting in. "Damn it. Miss." Coyote announced pulling vertically towards the mountain.

Their eyes went wide. Barely breathing, Coyote's vision began to blur as he desperately tried to stop the wave of darkness taking over. "Blue team that's a fail. Level out Coyote." Coyote couldn't fight the wave of darkness, he blacked out.

"Coyote do you copy?" Maverick asked sternly, his fears seeping into his mind. Coyote's jet had no control, he was free falling. "Damn it. Coyote. Do you copy?" Maverick asked once more panic evident in his voice. "He's in G-Lock." Maverick announced barely audible.

Cassie turned to face a pacing Jake. She placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping to console the distressed man. He and Coyote were best buddies, almost brothers.

As Coyote lay unconscious, sirens and alarms wailed. Maverick swooped down, desperate to get a fix on the man's plane. As he levelled out, Coyote's heavy breathing could be heard as he awoke from the target lock. The pilots in the break room could be heard breathing a sigh of relief.

"Coyote are you ok?" Maverick questioned. Being shook up himself. "Yeah I'm ok. I'm good." Coyote managed to get out. "Okay good. I think that's enough for today." Maverick mentioned moving back to level with Phoenix.

Cassie pat Jake's arm sending him a tight-lipped smile. "Bird strike!" Cassie felt her heart race once more. Phoenix and Bob unable to move in time started to plummet. Cassie held her breath hearing Maverick call for search and rescue. She needed to see Phoenix. She needed to know they were okay.

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Cassie was perched on the edge of her seat. She was certain she would be discussing the events of the day with her father. She was wondering how his visit with her uncle ice went yesterday. Her mind was at ease knowing that her buddies were safe.

"Lieutenant" Warlock greeted with a solemn expression on his face. Cassie hastily rose up before noting the man's expression. Something wasn't right. "It's ice." Cassie's calm state was broken with just two words.

Her eyes welled up with tears as she remembered her adoring uncle. The one who assisted her in making fun of her father and Maverick. The same uncle that brought her on base to have his favourite niece by his side.

"Is Maverick aware?" Cassie questioned getting a nod from her boss. "Please forgive me." Cassie sighed, tears streaming down her cheeks. As she saw Maverick down the hall, she made a beeline for him.

Her godfather embraced her in his grip. One of the only people who could understand her anguish. As Bradley observed from a classroom, he watched him calm her. He knew it was hurting them. More than he could have imagined.

Their rock was gone.

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞:

I know. I know. This part hits hard. I am thankful to all the people reading. We have reached 300 now. Pretty far from when I only started with 5. We are getting further into the book which means we are drawing closer to the end. I'm closer to my goal. I hope you are all enjoying this fic. See you all next upload 😊.